A week ago, the Oregon women’s soccer team looked at this weekend’s matchups with Stanford and California with dread.
California was ranked sixth in the country, while Stanford was close behind, in seventh. At the same time, the Ducks had looked miserable at the beginning of a 3-0 loss to No. 4 Portland.
But all that changed as the week went on. Portland smoked a tough Oregon State squad to jump to third in the country, while Stanford and Cal both dropped games and dropped in the rankings. Oregon then blew out Portland State, even after the Ducks’ reserves let in two soft goals.
Still, this weekend’s games loom on Oregon’s schedule. Duck head coach Bill Steffen said his team will take important lessons into the conference-openers this weekend.
“We learned that we can play well and we can do things right,” Steffen said. “We also learned that we can’t play sloppy, no matter what.”
The Ducks take on No. 17 California on Friday at 3 p.m., and No. 9 Stanford on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games will be played at Oregon’s Papé Field, where the Ducks are 4-1 this season.
Believin’ in the Bruins
UCLA is having success this season to the tune of a 9-0-0 record and a No. 2 ranking. The Bruins trail only North Carolina in the polls, and handed No. 3 Portland its only loss this season in their opener. The Bruins will take on Arizona and Arizona State, and while neither team is ranked, both are dangerous. The Wildcats are 3-5-1 this season, while the Sun Devils are
6-4-0.
Adam Amato Emerald
Chalise Baysa has led Oregon in scoring for three years.
No. 21 Washington will also be tested this weekend, by cross-state rivals Washington State. The Cougars are a formidable 7-2-0 this season, and upset the Dawgs last year in Pullman.
Battlin’ for the Crown
Chalise Baysa is used to leading Oregon in goal-scoring every season. Since she was a freshman, Baysa has paced the Ducks every year, en route to breaking the all-time Oregon goals record last season.
But this season, Baysa is facing a little competition — from a freshman, no less. Nicole Garbin currently co-leads the team in the goals category, with Baysa. Garbin actually led Baysa before last weekend, but Baysa netted two goals on the weekend to pull within one of the lead.
Both players have five goals, but Garbin leads in points, as she has two more assists than Baysa.
